Coat of Many Colors Exhibition

Description

2026 Coat of Many Colors Exhibition

Presented By: Dogwood Arts | Website
Curated By: YNST (You’re Not Seeing Things) Magazine | Website
We are thrilled to announce the call for submissions to Coat of Many Colors, an exhibition illuminating LGBTQ+ identity across Appalachia. Commemorating living history in a region colored by vibrant originality and rich cultural heritage, this gallery explores what it means to be LGBTQ+ in Appalachia today and how LGBTQ+ people express their identity. 
The exhibition opens on June 5, 2026, just in time for Knoxville’s Rhinestone Festival, celebrating legendary musician and longtime LGBTQ+ ally Dolly Parton. 
THEME
Coat of Many Colors invites artists of any physical medium from across Appalachia to explore how members of the LGBTQ+ community express, own, wear and live out their personal & collective identity as queer people. Whether through fashion, lifestyle, culture, beliefs and values — these personal and communal facets patchwork together to form the colorful spectrum of what it means to be queer. 
With all the joy, strife, levity, pain, intimacy, beauty and intensity that accompany it, LGBTQ+ people express their identity in a kaleidoscopic, complex array of ways personally and collectively. 
We invite artists to explore the following in their work:
How do queer people express their identity? Is it worn like a coat? Is it woven into their framework? How is it different from person to person? How do the threads connect? How does the community’s shared identity quilt together?  How do LGBTQ+ people express their identity specifically in Appalachia— a land older than life itself and marked by persistent challenges?

Artists are invited to apply now through April 17th.
Schedule:
Application Open: March 20th Application Deadline: Friday, April 17th @ 11:59pmNotification Date: May 1stArtist delivers work to the Dogwood Gallery: Monday, June 1st between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (EST). Artists may also deliver/ship artwork to the Dogwood Arts Office (123 W Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN). Shipped artwork must arrive by Monday, June 1st and include a pre-paid return label. 
Exhibition Dates: June 5 - July 24, 2026

Opening/public reception: First Friday, June 5th: 5-8 PM Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMPick-up of work: Monday, July 27th between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with all works cleared by 5:00 PM. No work is released before the end of the exhibition. Work unclaimed within 30 days becomes property of Dogwood Arts.

Eligibility: Open to all artists 18 years and older in or from the Appalachian Region. Work must have been completed in the last two years. 2-D must not exceed a 7’ x 7’ footprint. 3-D over 100 lbs. must be installed by the artist and should not exceed a 6’ x 6’ footprint. 

Categories are: 2-D painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, and photography; 3-D sculpture of all media (may submit two images) and site-specific installation. 4-D art, including video, performance and other time-based pieces are not eligible. 

Awards: Top pieces will be featured in an upcoming edition of YNST Magazine.

Online Entry Procedure: You may submit up to three works per application. All image uploads must be in jpg form. The file name should be as follows: ArtistName: (JohnSmith) _title of work. Example: JohnSmith_Orange Painting.jpg. The file size should be 300 dpi, and as close to 1 MB or less. The widest side should not exceed 2,000 pixels. Jury results will be forwarded via email. 

Sales: The following commission applies to all sales: 20%. To operate in accordance with the Tennessee Department of Revenue guidelines, Dogwood Arts will add sales tax to the price of each work that sells. Sales tax is NOT added to works being shipped out of state. Sales are permitted as a service to patrons of Dogwood Arts. However, Dogwood Arts cannot guarantee such sales. The receipt of funds from sales, the retention of commissions, and the disbursement of monies to Artist will be handled by Dogwood Arts. Sold works are to remain in the exhibition until its official close unless an alternate arrangement can be reached that is mutually agreeable to Dogwood Arts, Artist, and the purchaser of the artwork. * work is NOT required to be for sale. 

Handling: Dogwood Arts agrees to handle all artwork with proper care so that artwork will not be damaged, excepting ordinary wear and tear. Dogwood Arts shall not be liable for damage or loss caused by war, confiscation, order of any government or public authority,  or by any and all causes beyond the control of Dogwood Arts.  

Theft, Damage or Loss: Dogwood Arts agrees to notify Artist within 36 hours by telephone, e-mail, and/or written notification upon the  event of any theft, damage or loss that occurs while artwork is in the possession of Dogwood Arts. In the event of loss or damage to artwork at fault of Dogwood Arts, Dogwood Arts agrees to compensate up to reasonable market value on each artwork as agreed upon by Artist and Dogwood Arts Executive Director. 

Insurance/Artwork Inventory: Dogwood Arts provides up to $25,000 of insurance on all artwork while it is on display in our gallery. If necessary, Artist will insure work above that amount. Artist must furnish Dogwood Arts with an inventory of artwork to be exhibited, including the title, media, and sale price prior to the exhibition opening. Dogwood Arts will provide Artist with an Excel spreadsheet for this information, which will be used to generate gallery tags for artwork. Unclaimed work is not insured after the posted pick-up date. Artists are responsible for insuring work while in transit.

Transportation: Moving or shipping artwork to and from Dogwood Arts will be the sole responsibility of Artist. 

Installation: Works must be suitably framed/mounted and WIRED to hang. Work should be ready to exhibit according to accepted Museum standards (i.e., canvases should be stretched with finished edges, drawings should be at least mounted and  matted or fitted with Plexiglas). Dogwood Arts reserves the right to inspect and, if necessary, prepare or request Artist to prepare the artwork for exhibition according to said standards. Dogwood Arts reserves the right to refuse to display any object for any reason. 

Publicity: Artist agrees to provide Dogwood Arts with biographical information, artist's statement, digital images, and other materials as requested. Artist agrees to allow Dogwood Arts to photograph Artist's artwork for publicity,  education, and catalog purposes.

Questions? Email Shannon Herron at shannon@dogwoodarts.com

User Entry Process Tutorial

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